Grate frame



R. WATSON May 23, 1933.

GRATE FRAME Filed July 10, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR vhf Mm zmi/aasflwim g ATTORNEYf R. WATSON GRATE FRAME May 23, 1933.

Filed July 10, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllllllll.

INVENTOR in! i/5n ZMJmM M w/s ATTORNEYS Patented May 23, 1933 STATE nonnn'r WATSON, VE D 011101 S 7 PATENTOFFICE Assxenon To .rmnmm coerce-Arron, or cLEvELANn- 0 :10; A CORPORATION OEDELAWARE a a GRATE FRAME a 1 Application filed July 10,

This invention relates to grates of the type which comprise frame members and grate bars mounted therein for rocking movement;

more specifically, the invention is concerned with a novel frame member for USGIH a grate tives will be illustrated and described in deitail but it istof be understood that the utility bf the invention is not limited to that particular use.

j Loco otive grates as now customarily cons triictedfinclude a plurality of gratebars of 1 ther cking type, a pairiof frame members along'the sides of thefirebox, and in grates of j the larger type, a center framemember, these framemembers having sockets for the recepiron in onepiece and they extend the entire length of the fire box and consequently may have alength asgreat as lOfeet. Because of the weight of the grate bars and of the .bed of fuelsupported thereon, the frame members arelnecessarily strong and rugged,

and it is quite common to make these frame members with a central web and top and bottom flanges, these flanges being as much as 4 inches wide. As a consequence, the grate frame members support a considerable quantity of fuel on their top fiangesandina grate 10 feet long, the total surfaces of the frame members may amount to 6 square feet or more.

1 As the top surfaces of the frame members are ordinarily solidand without openings 1 through them, the fuelsupported thereby does not receive adequate air forfcombustion and its combustion is sluggish and 1t: 1s not burned completelyi tThetops of thelframe members may consequently be considered dead space, and since the total area of the tops ofthe framemembers may form a subtion of the trunnions of the grate bars. The frame members are ordinarily made of cast 1931. serial No. 5 am.

addition to that above mentioned. Thetops of these frame memberslie in contact with the fuelbedand are consequently raised to a fuel. As the members are continuous {from one end ofthe fire box to theother,theeX- pansion throughout the length thereof is cumulative and as the tops of the members in contact withthe fuel "bed are at a much higher temperature than the bottoms which lie at substantial distance below the fuel bed, the frame members are liabletobecome warped above pointed out are overcome. In my new frame members, I provide means extending above the tops of themembers and constituting fuel-supporting surfaces, these means conveniently taking the form of fuel-supand distorted in service due to unequal eX- high temperature in service, particularly since they are not cooled by air passing t0the" porting units somewhat similar in construca tion to grate bar fingers. These units are mountedloosely on the frame members and constitute a top shield which keeps the fuel from contacting with themembers. In the projections, each projection being shaped to provide a socket forthe reception of a grate newconstructiomeach frame member is pro--. vided along its top with a plurality of spaced barytrunnion and mounted oneach projection is a fuel-supporting unit. This unit has an jopening through it through which the projection extends with the socket exposed of the fuel can take place. Also, the units do nottransmit heat readily tothe frame 1 members so that the expansion difficulties above inentioned are overcome.

A For a better understanding ofthe invenso that the weight of the giate bar is taken 1 mentythe tops of the framemembers consti tute grate surface on which active combustion frame member in a suitable support.

tion, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation showing a portion of a grate frame member con structed in accordance with this invention with one fuel-supporting unit in place thereon; V

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through a center and side frame member constructed in accordance with the invention and showing portions of gratebars mounted on said mem bers;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view 7 showing a unit in place onra projection, certain parts being shown 1n section and broken away;

Fig. 4 1s a fragmentary plan view of a .center frame member showing one unit in position with a grate bar supported on the frame; and v Fig. 5 is a plan View of a fuel-support1ng unit-employed on the frame member of this erably defined by beads 13 to afford increased strength.

Disposed at intervals along the top of the frame member are projectionsl t, which are rectangular in section and have walls tapering upward. Each projection has a mounting for the trunnion of a grate'bar and for this purpose, the tops of the projections may be channeled as at 15 to provide sockets; At

the bottom of each projection, the web is provided with lateral extensions 16 which may be strengthened by ribs 17 extending downwardly therefrom, for example, to a bead 13 defining an opening through the frame member.

Mounted on each projection is a fuel-sup porting unit which comprises a body 18 with extensions 19 therefrom. The body has an opening completely through it so that the unit may be mounted loosely on a projection to rest on the lateral extension 16 from the web of the frame member and the tops of the side walls of the body which definethe opening are out awayso that that portion of the projection on which the unit is mounted which serves as the trunnion mounting is exposed. In the construction shown in Fig. 3,

..,the channeled top of the projection providing the trunnion socket lies somewhat above the'tops of the sidewalls which define the opening in the unit so thatthe trunnion 2O rests upon the projection and none of its weight is taken by the unit. The walls of the opening through the unit are tapered to correspond to the taper of the sides of the projection and the unit has a loose fit on the projection so that the unit will not bind against the projection when it is heated. The unit has cut away portions in the lower parts of its walls at 21, 22 for the admission of air to flow upwardly in the space between the walls of the opening and the projection, and these openings also permit ashes to escape in the event that they should enter the space between the projection and the walls of the opening in the unit.

The tops of the extensions 19 from the body of the unit constitute fuel-supporting surface and I prefer to provide these extensions with a plurality of spaced projections 23, the

.tops of which constitute the, supports for the fuel. In the construction illustrated, the side walls of each extension are formed with spaced lugs 2 1- whichprovide air passages." 25 between them for fiow of air upwardly to the fuel carried by the extensions. The projections 23 are arranged in groups of four with the projections of each group separated by generally horizontal air channels 26 and 27 and the groups of units separated by an air channel 28 which extends lengthwise of the extension 19. With this arrangement, air flowing upward through the passages 25 may flow horizontally in the channels 26, 27, and 28, cooling the projections and reaching the fuel over a substantial area so that good combustion is attained.

In a side frame member illustrated at 29 in Fig. 2, there is one row of projections 310F1 while in the center frame member 31, the projections 30 are arranged in pairs, the pairs being disposed at intervals along the frame member. In installing the new frame members, the side frame members andthe centerk frame member are mounted in the fire box in the usual way and the units are then placed on the projections the center frame member carrying a double row of units from end to end thereof. The units simply rest onfllo the frame member with the tops of the proj ections exposed, and after each frame member is provided with its quota of units, the grate bars are placed in position. In the construction shown, the grate bars are of the-" type illustrated in the co-pending application of Buckley, Serial No. 338,352. filed February 8, 1929, although rocking grate bars of other constructions may be mounted in the frame, if desired.

The Buckley bars comprise a carrier 32 having a plurality of fingers 33 and the fingers are of a construction resembling the fuel-supporting units of my grate frames in the respect that these fingers are provided with side lugs and fuel-supporting projections at the tops thereof. The carriers are provided with trunnion arms 34 having trunnions 35 and the carriers are mounted in 0 place with their trunnions resting in sockets if in aligned projections onthe center and side member support the trunnions of a pairof aligned grate bars, which lieon opposite sides of the frame member as shown 1n Fig. 2.

grate surface due to the fuel-supporting units on my grate frames, I form the units so that the tops thereof lie substantially in the plane j of the fingers or fuel-supporting surfaces other than those of the Buckley typeare used, some changes in the grate frame units may be necessary but these changes are merely matters of dlmenslon and are within the skill of any mechanic. i

WVhile I contemplate that units offother constructions than that described may be employed to advantage, I prefer to provide that type of fuel support in the Buckley grate bar above referred to. Also, I prefer to emthe units with side lugs defining air channels and with the fuel-supporting projections at their tops because of the wide air distribution thus afforded and because of the excellent results which have been obtained with ploy the Buckley grate bar with the new grate frames for the same reasons but it will be apparent that other forms of rocking grate bar may be used with the new frame members if desired.

.What Iclaim is:

1. In a grate, a frame member. having a plurality of projections along its top, and a fuel-supportingunit mounted loosely on each projection, the top of the projection being exposed through the unit andbeing shaped to provide a socket for the reception of a grate bar trunnion;

2. In a grate, a frame. member having a plurality of projections spaced along its top, and a fuel-supportingv unit mounted loosely on eachprojection, the top of the projection being exposed through the unit and being formed to provide a socket for the trunnion of a grate bar, the bottom of the socket lying above theadjacent portion of the unit whereby the unit provides no support for the trunnion in thesocket. j

3. I11 a grate, a frame member having a plurality of projections at its top, and a fuelsupporting unit mounted loosely on each projection, the top of the projection being ex posed through the unit and being formed to provide a socket for a grate bar trunnion,

the unit having a fuel supporting surface lyingabove the top of the projection.

4. In a grate, a frame member having a plurality of projections spaced along its top, each projection being formed to provide a socket for the trunnion of a grate bar, and a fuel-supporting unit mounted loosely on each projection and havingan opening through fricdfthereby. 1-: '-1 In a grate,:a frame L member; having a In order that there may be no break in the vEplu-rality of projections spaced along its top,

plurality of projections spaced along its each projection being 1 formed :with means I whichsaid projection exterfdswith the socket jywholly -exposedi above the {top 0f the "unit, each innit having a fue-l-supporting surface and means for supplying .airto the: fuel careach projection having a' channelnin its top forinying a1socket forthetrunnlon of a grate bar and 5a: fuelsupporting ma mounted on each projection T with the socket. wholly exof the grate bars with. which these frame members are to be employed. If grate bars Said projections. i

withthetop ofCthe frame member between 6; In a grate, a frame member having a plurality of projections spaced along its top,

each projection being formed to provide a socket forthe trunnion of a grate-bar, and :l fuel-supportmg unit mounted loosely on each projection, said unit having an opening through whichthe" projection extends with the %socket wholly exposed above said unit,

each unit alsohavi'ng a fuel supporting sur face with means for supplying air to the fuel carrledthereon; 1 i a 2" 1 4 7*. Ina grate, a frame member having a :for supporting the itru'nnioirbf a grate bar,

and a fuel-supporting unit indunted 'ldosely oneach projectioin. said supporting means being exposed. above said unit and said unit having a fuel-supporting surface and a plurality of spaced vertical lugs along its sides below said surface, said lugs between them defining passages forupward flow of air to the fuel on said surface.

A grate which mprises the combina tlonof a pair of frame members, each ha a plurality of projections spaced along its top, each projection being formed to provide a socket for the trunnion of. a grate bar, a

fuel-supporting unit mounted loosely on each projection with said socket exposed above said unit, each unit having a fuel-supporting surface, and the surfaces of all of said units on a framemember lying substantially in a plane, and a plurality of grate bars mounted on said frame members, each grate bar having trunnions received in aligned sockets on said members, said grateqbar having a fuel-supporting surface substantially in the plane of the fuel-supporting surface provided by said units.

9. A fuel-supportingunit for use on a grate frame, said unit having a body portion having an opening therethrough defined in ends of said body, each extension having a fuel-supporting surface, and theside walls of said opening being cut away atthe top to a point substantially below said surfaces.

10. In a grate, a frame member having a part by side walls, and extensions from the use , plurality of projections arranged in pairs at intervals along its top, each projection being formed to provide a socket for the trunnion of a grate bar, and a fuel-supporting unit mounted loosely on each projection, said unit having an opening therethrough through which said projection extends with its socket exposed above the unit; I

11. In a grate, a frame member'having a plurality of projections disposed in pairs side by side at intervals along its top, each projection being formed to provide a socket for the trunnion of a grate bar, the grate bars mounted in the projections of the member lying at opposite sides of the frame member,

and a fuel-supporting unit mounted loosely on each projection, said projection extending through said unit with its socket lying above the unit.

12. Ina grate, a grate frame member having trunnion sockets disposed along it in spaced relation, a plurality of fuel-supporting units mounted onthe frame member to shield the top thereof from contact with the fuel on the grate, each unit extending along the member from a point at one side of a trunnion socket to a point on the other side thereof and having an opening through which the 'portion of the frame member containing the socket extends, and grate bars having trunnions in said sockets and supported wholly thereby. In testimony "whereof I aflix my signature.

ROBERT WATSON. .7 

